Interview: Acid Mothers Temple

By Milly Smyth

19 June, 2026

Acid Mothers Temple are best known for their head-melting extreme trip music, blending together jazz, rock, and psychedelia into one unforgettable sound. Going against the grain of normalcy, Auckland braces itself for a crazy night of drifting improvised tracks at Double Whammy, as a part of Strange Universe Winter Edition. Milly from 95bFM Breakfast asked them some questions ahead of their show in Tāmaki Makaurau.

Answered by Kawabata Makoto

How did Acid Mothers Temple form?

At first, it started from a conversation with my old friend Keizo Suhara about doing something together. He brought in Cotton, and I brought in Hajime Kouzumi, and the four of us formed the group. We recorded session jams in the studio.

After a while, we thought since we were doing it anyway, we might as well invite more musician friends, so we asked old friends to join in, including Hiroshi Higashi, and continued recording session jams.

At the time I was living in a standalone house, so friends from all over would come by, and some even stayed over. That’s when we launched “ACID MOTHERS TEMPLE SOUL COLLECTIVE.” It wasn’t about living together like the hippie communes of the past, but rather creating a spiritual network where people recognise each other and support one another.

As we continued recording sessions, the number of participants grew to around 50 people.

By that point, the idea of it being a “band” had disappeared, and it had become my solo recording unit.

Then we received an offer from a European label saying they wanted to release my solo work, so I compiled those session recordings into one album. But when I sent the master tape, the label had already disappeared.

As a result, that master tape was released by P.S.F. Records under the name Acid Mothers Temple & The Melting Paraiso U.F.O.

After people overseas heard that first album, we began receiving live offers. Originally it was supposed to be just a recording unit, but we recruited members for live performances and went on our first overseas tour. After that, everything continued as you all know.

If you had to sum up the sound of Acid Mothers Temple, how would you describe it?

Extreme Trip Music.

What is a live show like with Acid Mothers Temple? 

A one-way ticket on the Galactic Railway, travelling all the way to the edge of the universe.

I feel like the crowds must be mesmerised by the work you all do up on stage, should be prepared to be mesmerised at the upcoming Auckland gig? 

They don’t need to prepare — we’ll blow their consciousness away with the very first note.

Are you excited to come down to NZ and play? What are you most looking forward to other than performing here? 

Absolutely. And honestly, I can’t wait to eat Bluff oysters and lamb.

Banished Music and Strange News present Acid Mothers Temple as a part of Strange Universe Winter, Friday June 19.

Tickets are available here.